5 MINUTES WITH LAUREN TOYOTA OF hot for food

hot for food is hands down one of my favourite vegan sites! Lauren is impossibly cool, making anyone more inclined to want in on the vegan lifestyle. The first time I stumbled across one of her recipes (it was their Ridiculously Easy Vegan Peanut Butter Cups), I knew we were gonna get along just fine.

What I love about their food is that it’s accessible to everyone. It’s not all about kale and quinoa…think Cinnamon rolls, breakfast tacos, and pierogies. Comfort food with a vegan twist. Personally, I didn’t become vegan in order to eat “healthy” food all the time. Of course I try and eat a balanced diet, but I want the food to taste good and I want to enjoy cooking it. I also want recipes that my non-vegan family and friends can enjoy too. So stop what you’re doing, visit their site and sign up for the hot for food YouTube channel. You’re welcome!

I was lucky enough to connect with Lauren Toyota for a few minutes and have her answer a few burning questions for me. Read on:

What’s the last thing you ate?Mary’s Crackers with hummus

Which vegan chef do you most admire and why?Probably Chloe Coscarelli because of the empire she has built. She now has 2 restaurants, one on the east coast and one on the west coast. Baller!

What kitchen item do you most often buy for wedding gifts?I have never bought a kitchen item as a wedding gift! Haha I usually give money because it’s so easy.

Where’s the last place you went to on a date? (and what did you order?)Tori’s Bake Shop. But 3 nights out of the week they do a late night dinner menu and it’s the best. We had a cheese platter, gnocchi, and some kind of salad with apple and spring peas.

Did becoming vegan bring out any unexpected character traits in you? i.e. are you funnier now than ever before?I think the most impactful part of becoming vegan is just how it’s affected my well being physically, emotionally, and mentally in so many positive ways. It sort of connected a lot of dots for me.

What’s the one thing you wish more people knew about vegan food?That it isn’t always raw, gluten-free, sugar-free, oil-free, taste-free or fun-free and that there is more than one way to be vegan and eat vegan.